Finding Rhett
by Enchantressofthestars
Summary: Scarlett deserted by Rhett goes to follow him and win him back no matter what the cost. Nothing can part Scarlett from Rhett, but maybe death will.


Ok this is my first GWTW fanfic, I just read the book and the sequel and LOVED both. This fic happens right after the end of GWTW. So please be gentle with the reviews. All characters and mentions belong to Margaret Mitchell. I made up the name of Cherokke river. Please read and review, thanks!  
  
......................................  
  
Scarlett lifted her head up from the table where she had fallen asleep after the horrible night before. For a moment she forgot where she was. Then she remembered Rhett and his quick and maddening goodbye. "Nooooo," she wailed. "Mammy, Mammy!" she started yelling. "Wut chile?", " Stawp, yar hawlerin." "Rhett, where is he?" cried Scarlett. "Mist' Rhett left 'bawt 20 minutes ago honey." "What? No, He can't have left me." "I'm sorry Scarlett."  
  
I'll go after him thought Scarlett. Tara can wait, I need Rhett. "Mammy, did he say where he was going?" "He just said he was floating downriver, Scarlett."  
  
"I'll go and get him, he's probably just going to New Orleans or something, maybe down the Cherokke. Go get my driver Mammy, I'm going after Rhett."  
  
Scarlett was on her way to get Rhett she wasn't going to give up on him. She would make him see how much she needed him, how much he needed her and how much she loved him. What will I do if he's not there? She thought. What will I do if he won't take me back? Her longing for Rhett was so overwhelming it was killing her. Burning tears leaked from her eyes. Then sudden rage took her, how could he do this to her? How could he leave her when she needed him so much? Painful memories haunted her of what she said and had done to him. Then she thought of Bonnie, how much he loved that child. More than anything, maybe even more than her.  
  
Driving past the countryside and farms she saw a little bit of the aftermath of the war, old abandoned houses and barns. She also saw a new South, a different place. So much had happened to her, so much sadness and hurt. She wondered what life would be like without the war, where she would be. Would she still be married to Charlie, would she ever have even met Rhett. Well one thing the war gave me I guess was Rhett. I won't let him get away.  
  
Scarlett was woken up by her sleep from a jolting carriage. "Sary Ma'am," said the driver. "Are we there already?" Scarlett shrieked happily. All her mad thoughts about Rhett and his wrongs were forgotten. " Well, dis is the poart of Cherokke and Mammy ses dis is where Mis' Rhett is mowst likely to be. Shawd I go wid you and look far him?" 'No, that's quite alright. I"ll look for myself, you just stay here and wait for me," she replied.  
  
Scarlett strode to the boat house looking for Rhett. "Excuse me, Excuse me," she said impatiently to the elderly man. " Do you know where Rhett Butler is? He might be going down south or even to Charlestowne." " Rhett Butler, hmmmm he should be nearly gone, he was just packing a few loads and then he was going down to Orleans. He might still be there," sneezed the old man.  
  
Scarlett ran off running down the dock looking for Rhett, No, no he had to be there he couldn't have left. Little tears slowly started coming from the corners of her eyes. Don't cry she told herself. He's here I know it. "Rhett, Rhett," she started yelling. Finally she just sat down on the edge of boat and put her head in her hands. He's gone and my life is over, I can't win him back now. He's gone from me forever, she thought. "Excuse me Miss, can I help you?" a young man asked. He was missing half his leg from the knee on down, and had a wooden peg in its place. "I'm looking for Rhett Butler," she sniffed. " I need to find him."  
  
"Well, I know where Rhett Butler is," he replied. "I'll show you to him right away Miss. It's okay, don't cry now." "Thank you, thank you," she said and she gave him a hug and kissed him on the cheek. "Well Miss right this way," he said blushing. Scarlett followed him thru a web of boats and netting to a dock decluded from the rest. "He should be right here Miss," he said. "Thank you again," she whispered now so happy. She was going to get Rhett she knew it.  
  
She stepped on to the boat, it bobbed up and down causing her to nearly lose her balance. "Rhett," she called. "Rhett." She head someone below the boat, it sounded like someone hitting their head. " Damn it," she heard a voice say. Then footsteps started coming up the stairs. She knew that voice, it was the voice that used to whisper that he loved her, the voice that held her in her dreams. It would always stay in her mind forever. It was Rhett's.  
  
Rhett emerged from the stairs, his hair his face everything stayed in her head. It was like a picture, it was her darling, her Rhett. She couldn't believe she caught him, couldn't believe that he hadn't left. "Rhett," she whispered so softly and then ran and hugged him, she would never let him go, never. "Scarlett, what the hell are you doing here?" he replied something different in his eyes was shining. But she wasn't sure if she liked it. Was it anger? Could he be mad? "Rhett, I love you, I'm not letting you leave me. Somewhere deep down in your cold heart I know you still have a little love for me, and you have my whole heart. The only person I love is you Rhett. Just you." "Scarlett, I'm tired of being hurt by you. I don't love you anymore I can't. Go back home and marry Ashley. You'll always love Ashley, you never loved me." " No, Rhett I did. I love you Rhett, I love you," She was practically screaming now.  
  
"Scarlett, don't make a scene, I'm leaving you. Now I need to go now Ma'am if you would please get off this vessel so I can cast off."  
  
"Rhett, I'm not leaving you!"  
  
"Scarlett you have to," he was laughing now. He took her by her shoulder a little hard but gently and put her on the dock. "Good-bye Scarlett."  
  
"Bye, Rhett." She gave up now, her shoulders slumped she never felt worse in her life. She was beyond tears now. She felt like she was the Confederates surrendering to the Yankees. She turned around to leave but then turned around again to watch Rhett leave. He was casting off leaving the dock now. Her mind wasn't working at all when she saw was Rhett, his hair floating in the breeze. His muscles, as he lifted up the anchor. Her heart swelled. Then her mind started working, all she thought of was get Rhett, don't let him leave you.  
  
Get to Rhett, get to Rhett. She started walking, just walking. Her mind wasn't focused on where she was going all she thought of was Rhett, all she thought of was Rhett. Then all of the sudden she fell into the water. But she didn't realize it. She just started kicking and kicking, then all of the sudden Rhett looked back and saw her. "Scarlett, he yelled, "Scarlett." Her skirts were pushing her down she started going under. She was too far away from the dock now. Then water started going up her nose and in her lungs. She was drowning she thought far away, I'm dying. Well, I'd die anyway without Rhett. Rhett she thought, she saw his face. She saw Bonnie, she saw her parents smiling, waving she heard them say "Scarlett, hello Scarlett darling. Welcome home."  
  
Rhett saw her go under he saw her struggling then stop, Oh God he thought what possesed her to do this. Could she possibly love him? Possibly not love Ashley? Yes she must, she had to. No, she couldn't. Stop thinking like that Rhett, he told himself. She never loved you. But still maybe she loved him, just a tiny bit. He jumped in, he was going to save her, he wouldn't let her die. He wouldn't. He loved her too much. All before was just a lie, just a lie to stop the hurt. He swam and swam then went under he saw her eyes closed. No, he thought. She was dead.  
  
Scarlett was getting closer to her parents and in the background she saw Tara, the old Tara just like in her memories. Then all of the sudden something grabbed her and pulled her up. Her eyes opened, she couldn't breathe. She was going to die. Then Tara dissapeared in the mist.  
  
Rhett grabbed her and swam to the boat just a few feet away. He put her on the floor and started breathing in to her trying to make her breathe. He started pressing on her chest to push the water out. All of the sudden her eyes opened and she spit water out and started breathing heavily. "Rhett," she whispered.  
  
" I love you," he said. "No, you don't," she whispered again. " You told me so." "Oh yes I do," he replied and then started kissing her so thoroughly that she had to stop and breathe again. "Rhett, never ever leave me again. I loved you so much and when you said you would leave, it killed me." Small tiny happy and sad tears streamed out of the corners of her eyes. "Scarlett, I damn well love you, I would die for you I love you, you crazy woman." They started kissing again full of love and Scarlett said, " Rhett, it's okay about Bonnie, we'll have another child, just like her." "Of course Scarlett, darling. But it's about time we started home, Mammy will be sick about you and you're getting a cold, I'm not going to let you get pnemonia and nearly die on me. Do you know how much you scared the living hell out of me?" Scarlett started laughing. Then they went inside to float on home. 


End file.
